Art and Books

Presented by Flora Blackett:

Website: www.florablackett.com

An oil portrait of an animal of your choosing by aclaimed artist Flora Blackett.

"Born in 1978 in South west Scotland, Flora Blackett trained for 4 years at the prestigious Charles H Cecil studio in Florence, Italy.

As well as portraits, she is a renowned wildlife artist. Dividing her time between her studios in London and her native Dumfriessire she works on both commissions and her own inspired paintings and drawings. With trips throughout the UK, Europe, America and Africa, Flora continuously searches for exciting new subjects. She captures at first hand, the animals in their surroundings and strives to depict both the immediacy and serenity in every scene.
Flora has had many highly acclaimed exhibitions thoughout the UK and America.

In 2014 Flora combined her love of art and interiors to launch Flora Blackett designs.

Her work now hangs in collections throughout the world and is now listed in the national archives."

50% of the Sale value will go to the Heather Trust.

Presented by Mel Shand:

Website: www.melshand.com

An A4 pencil portrait of your tribe from your provided photos, OR your favourite Scottish wild animal OR an ink drawing of a house or building.

Presented by Mary Colwell:

"‘In this empowering account of a walk that focuses a razor light on the plight of one of the UK and Ireland’s most iconic birds, Mary Colwell adds a powerful fresh voice to the conservation debate and challenges us to think and act differently. Inspirational!’ Tim Birkhead.

Curlews with their long curved bills are Britain’s largest wading birds. Their plaintive calls, celebrated in both verse and music, are the sound of the British wilderness – a haunting song which is the springtime music of our uplands, moorlands, marshes and seacoasts.  

But so fast has been their fall in numbers that the curlew has now been put on the Red List of the UK’s most endangered birds. Over the last 22 years the curlew has declined by more than 50 per cent across England and Scotland and by more than 80 per cent in Wales and Ireland and it is now sliding rapidly towards extinction.

To raise awareness of the curlew’s rapid decline and funds for its conservation, Mary Colwell, a nature writer and long established producer at the BBC Natural History Unit, went on a 500 mile walk from the West of Ireland to the East of England to track these elusive birds and observe them in their different habitats. CURLEW MOON is the account of her journey.  Starting in the early spring, when birds are first arriving at their breeding grounds in the west of Ireland, she then walks to Wales, where they incubate their eggs. She makes her way through England to coincide with the time when chicks are hatching and six weeks after setting out she arrives in East Anglia as the fledglings are beginning to try out their wings.  Finishing on the east coast, she marks the place where many curlews come to spend the winter.

Curlews need wet, rough pasture to nest, and their decline has largely been driven by loss of this habitat – in Ireland, by the stripping of boglands for peat and elsewhere, by widespread forestry planting and other developments which have destroyed nesting sites, including increased predation by a rising number of foxes.  But although their decline has been drastic there is still time to do something about it. Weaving an evocative tale of discovery interspersed with the natural history of the curlew, CURLEW MOON focuses a light on the plight of this iconic bird which so desperately needs our help."

Presented by Quiller Publishing:

This magnificent volume brings together the work of eight of Britain's foremost wildlife artists. Each artist writes of their own experience of deer and, as you would expect, there are stunning images in contrasting styles of painting, pencil drawing and scraper board, while the accompanying words give a fascinating insight into the world of the artist and the deer.

As Rodger McPhail points out, deer were among the first creatures depicted on the wall of caves more than 4,000 years ago and the evocative images in this superb book show their magic is undiminished. Some coffee table books lie untouched, this is one that you will constantly pick up.

Presented by William Garfit:

William Garfit is well known in the sporting world for his articles in the Shooting Gazette.  He is also known for his line drawings and wash vignettes which have illustrated over thirty books of the country sports.

This sepia print, titled 'Boyhood Memories' was specially commissioned by the publisher of the successful book 'The Fox and the Orchid' by writer Robin Page.  This book has become a "classic" on country sports and the importance of their influence on successful conservation and management of the British countryside.

Approximate size mounted in 12in x 10in (Image size 9in x 7.5in).  Available when required from the Heather Trust.  FREE postage and packing within the UK mainland.

Presented by Keith A McDougall:

Having thought we had completed sold out of our copies of this beuatiful poem, we are delighted to have found 4 more hiding away in our offices.  We therefore have 4 available in this year's auction.

“Lines from Euston – by one who is not going” is a wistful poem written by A M Harbord about a gentleman from another era as he quietly observes and envies a sporting traveller at Euston. 

This edition is illustrated by Keith McDougall, and measures 41.5cm x 30cm, unframed.

It is available for purchase from The Heather Trust on a ‘buy now only price’ of £10.00 (including postage & packing).

Presented by Malcolm Innes:

A framed print of Roger McPhail's "Before the Rut".